800: Muttiah Muralitharan Explains Why Vijay Sethupathi Was FORCED To Exit From The Biopic! (Details Inside)

Vijay Sethupathi, who is now making news for his role in filmmaker Atlee's hit film 'Jawan', was apparently the first option to act in Muttiah Muralitharan's upcoming biography, '800.' While both the actor and the producers initially agreed to undertake the project, the Jawan star eventually backed out for various reasons. Muttiah recently opened up about Vijay's abrupt resignation from the film, revealing that the actor was under 'tremendous strain'. The cricketer also revealed some disturbing details, claiming that Vijay's family was under threat after rumours of his appearing in the biography went popular on social media.

While Vijay was first cast as the ace cricketer in the upcoming biopic '800,' the part was later filled by actor Madhur Mittal, who has appeared in films such as 'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'Million Dollar Arm.' Muralitharan claimed that Vijay was the producers' first option for the part.

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During his stint at the Indian Premier League (IPL), the player said in an interview that the creators of the film mentioned that Vijay was staying in the same hotel for a shoot and so arranged for a meeting between the cricketer and the actor. Muralitharan went on to say that because Vijay was a fan of his, he accepted to the meeting and listened to the film's narration.

The cricketer went on to say that after hearing the script, Vijay exhibited real interest in the biography and stated that he would not pass up such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The producers cast the actor in the role, but a strong backlash against him forced him to leave the project.

Muralitharan revealed that Vijay was under immense pressure and that his family was being threatened. "This movie is a sports movie, and it’s not related to anything political or anything else, but it's just a true story of a man," Muralitharan said in his interview.

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'800', starring Madhur Mittal as Muttiah Muralitharan, is planned to be released internationally on October 6 in many languages including Tamil, English, and Sinhala.